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Leo Varadkar
Leo Varadkar, December 2022 (cropped).jpg
Varadkar in 2022
14th Taoiseach
In office
17 December 2022 – 9 April 2024
President Michael D. Higgins
Tánaiste Micheál Martin
Preceded by Micheál Martin
Succeeded by Simon Harris
In office
14 June 2017 – 27 June 2020
President Michael D. Higgins
Tánaiste
Preceded by Enda Kenny
Succeeded by Micheál Martin
Tánaiste
In office
27 June 2020 – 17 December 2022
Taoiseach Micheál Martin
Preceded by Simon Coveney
Succeeded by Micheál Martin
Leader of Fine Gael
In office
2 June 2017 – 20 March 2024
Deputy Simon Coveney
Preceded by Enda Kenny
Succeeded by Simon Harris
Teachta Dála
In office
May 2007 – November 2024
Constituency Dublin West
Personal details
Born (1979-01-18) 18 January 1979 (age 46)
Dublin, Ireland
Political party Fine Gael
Domestic partner Matthew Barrett
Education The King's Hospital
Alma mater Trinity College Dublin

Leo Eric Varadkar (born 18 January 1979) is an Irish politician. He was the Taoiseach (Ireland's Prime Minister) twice, from 2017 to 2020 and again from 2022 to 2024. He also served as Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) from 2020 to 2022. He was the leader of the Fine Gael political party from 2017 to 2024.

Early Life and Education

Leo Varadkar was born in Dublin, Ireland, on 18 January 1979. He is the third child and only son of Ashok and Miriam Varadkar. His father was born in Mumbai, India, and moved to the UK to work as a doctor. His mother, from County Waterford, Ireland, was a nurse. They met in the UK and later moved to Dublin in 1973.

Leo went to St Francis Xavier national school and then to The King's Hospital, a secondary school in Palmerstown. When he was 16, he joined Young Fine Gael, which is the youth part of the Fine Gael political party.

He later studied at Trinity College Dublin. He first studied law but then changed to medicine. While at university, he was very active in politics. He was even Vice-President of the Youth of the European People's Party. He also took part in a program in Washington, D.C., where he worked for the US House of Representatives.

Leo Varadkar became a doctor in 2003. He worked in hospitals for several years before becoming a general practitioner (GP) in 2010.

Political Career

Leo Varadkar began his political journey in 2004. He joined the Fine Gael party and became a member of Fingal County Council. He even served as Deputy Mayor of Fingal.

In 2007, he was elected to Dáil Éireann for the first time. This meant he became a national politician.

Becoming Taoiseach

In May 2017, the previous Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny, stepped down. Leo Varadkar ran for the leadership against Simon Coveney. Leo won and became the new leader of Fine Gael. Soon after, he was appointed Taoiseach. At 38 years old, he became the youngest person to hold this important office. He was also the first Taoiseach from an ethnic minority background in Ireland.

In February 2020, Leo Varadkar called a general election. Fine Gael won 35 seats. After the election, Fine Gael formed a government with Fianna Fáil and the Green Party. As part of this agreement, Leo Varadkar and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin agreed to share the roles of Taoiseach and Tánaiste.

Tánaiste and Second Term as Taoiseach

From June 2020 to December 2022, Leo Varadkar served as Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. In December 2022, he became Taoiseach again, as agreed in the coalition deal.

During his time as Taoiseach, he met with important leaders. In April 2023, he met with U.S. President Joe Biden in Ireland. In May 2023, he attended the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla in the UK. This was the first time an Irish Taoiseach had attended a British monarch's coronation.

In March 2024, two referendums were held in Ireland. These votes were about changing parts of the Constitution of Ireland related to family and care. However, voters rejected both proposed changes.

On 20 March 2024, Leo Varadkar announced that he would step down as Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader. He said his reasons were "both personal and political." In July, he announced he would not run for re-election and would retire from politics.

Political Views

President Joe Biden and Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar 2023
Varadkar with U.S. President Joe Biden in 2023

Leo Varadkar has shared some of his political views over the years.

Economy

He supports reducing taxes and making changes to welfare programs. He also believes in encouraging large international companies, like Apple Inc, to invest in Ireland. He thinks Ireland should keep its company tax rate low. When he was Minister for Social Protection, he started a campaign called "Welfare Cheats Cheat Us All." This campaign aimed to stop people from committing welfare fraud.

Foreign Policy

Tallinn Digital Summit. Welcome dinner hosted by HE Donald Tusk. Handshake (37330678376)
Varadkar with the Prime Minister of Estonia, Jüri Ratas, and the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, in 2017

Leo Varadkar and his party, Fine Gael, were against Brexit (the UK leaving the European Union). A lot of his first time as Taoiseach was spent talking with the British government about how the border between Ireland and the UK would work.

He also supports CETA, which is a trade agreement between Canada and the European Union.

Immigration

Leo Varadkar has spoken about immigration. He supports people coming to Ireland legally and contributing to society. He also supports accepting refugees from countries affected by war. In June 2022, he even hosted a Ukrainian refugee in his own home. In January 2023, he announced that his government would look at ways to strengthen border control against illegal immigration.

Personal Life

Leo Varadkar is the first Irish government leader to have partly Indian heritage. He has visited India many times. He did part of his medical training at KEM Hospital in Mumbai, his father's childhood city.

He was a strong supporter of the same-sex marriage referendum in Ireland. His partner, Matthew Barrett, is a doctor.

In 2017, Leo Varadkar learned more professional Irish. He even created an Irish version of his surname, de Varad. He encourages people to speak Irish and have fun with it, even if it's not perfect.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Leo Varadkar para niños

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